Behind the Frame: Amboseli Elephant Bull and Mount Kilimanjaro

Amboseli is one of those places that simply lends itself to pulling back a touch and including more of the environment that the wildlife there calls home. I mean, can you think of a more iconic background than mount Kilimanjaro?

During last years Essential Amboseli and Tsavo Safari we spent a lot of time working the swamps in Amboseli in an effort to capture those iconic images that we all dream of. Strangely enough, whilst we had ample opportunities to capture elephants in front of a clearly visible Mount Kilimanjaro last year, it was this particular image that ended up being one of the hero shots from the trip for me.

Canon 5 D MKIII, 24-70mm F2.8 @ 45mm and F11, ISO 100, 1/160, -1/3 EV

I try to convey a sense of the nature of both my subjects and the regions that I photograph them in.

Anyone who’ been to Amboseli will know that the mountain is very rarely clearly visible and is usually shrouded in a thick blanket of cloud. This makes for incredible light and photography as I have mentioned before, but the point is that the Mountain is by its nature, mysterious.

I love how the cloud has parted for enough time and space to offer glimpse of the snow-capped peak.

I also love how a black and white conversion makes the story even stronger.

Canon 5 D MKIII, 24-70mm F2.8 @ 45mm and F11, ISO 100, 1/160, -1/3 EV

Which image do you prefer?

I’m looking forward to sharing this special place with guests in June as we return to Kenya for our Essential Amboseli and Tsavo safari. Feel free to drop me a mail if you’d like to find out more about this safari and the photographic opportunities on offer.

About the Author

Andrew Beck

Very few people can tell you what their passion in life is. Even fewer will be able to tell you that what they do for a living is in fact their passion. My love for the bush and conservation took me on journey which would not only allow me to explore the continent which fascinates me so much, but to share my passion for photography and conservation with others.
Be sure to check out my my website and instagram account.

Lovely image Andrew! While the colour image is beautiful, the monochrome is certainly has more visual impact. Perhaps if there was more of the blue sky in the colour image it might have swung my opinion the other way. The monochrome has more mystery and to me, the mound with the puff of dust is like an echo of Kilimanjaro in the background with the clouds. Almost like the puff of dust will float up and join the clouds that blanket the sky. Plus I like the tongue-in-cheek composition, where elephant dwarfs mound, but Mountain dwarfs elephant. 🙂

My own preference is for the Monochrome Andrew because it enhances the whole idea of simplifying whats in the frame and allows you to just focus on a few things. and by the way beautiful example of the photographers eye

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